The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4121, 12 May 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, MAY 12, 1876.

We give our Roman Catholic fellowcolonists full credit for the sincerity of their convictions, and in that respect they present a good example to many other religious professors. But unluckily the fervor of their faith leads theru to imagine that those who do not hold to their doctrines should accepttheir

notions of the privileges to which they think themselves entitled. Their ideal of the claims of their own religion blinds them to their true social position,

and causes them to regard as oppressive, social and political arrangements which they share in common with the rest of the community. This one-sided viewing of their relation to their fellow-men

manifests itself continually, and this week prominently in the reasons given in support of their claim to free railway passes to children attending their schools. The deputation that waited upon his Honor the Superintendent endeavored to show that they were unjustly treated, because while children attending Government ! schools travelled free, those attending Roman Catholic schools had to pay fares. It was said Roman Catholics pay taxes, and therefore they have as much right as others to the free use of the railways for their children. We say so too; and if the children of Roman Catholics attend the District or High Schools they would travel to and from them free, just as others do. They maintain that the education given , is eqxial to that communicated in other

schools. Perhaps so :we are not prepared to think otherwise; but if it were infinitely better that has nothing to do with the question. Their schools are mere private schools, and stand precisely in the same position as any other private speculation; and unless they can show that other denominations, as denominations, have had privileges extended to them which have been refused to Roman Catholics, or that children attendingprivateschoolshavebeen allowed free passes, they have no right whatever to complain, excepting on general principles. Nor is it sufficient to say, as is at other times urged, that Roman Catholics are forbidden to send their children to the Government schools, or that they cannot conscientiously do so. Their tenderness of conscience or blind submission to the dictates of their spiritual guides is to be respected,

although not very creditable to the intelligence of those who allow themselves to be placed in such bondage. But if unfortunately they place fetters of that kind upon their own actions they must be prepared to submit to the coii sequences, and if they will isolate themselves and their children from participation in the benefits of District or High Schools they have but themselves to blame. We have dealt thus with a few of the arguments used by the Roman Catholics, for the purpose of showing that they have no right to assume the aspect of martyrs, or to claim sympathy as if they were persecuted. The ground taken by them at the deputation was too narrow—too sectarian. If they alone were excluded from participation in a privilege, we should quite agree with them—they would have good reason to complain on that ground only; but they suffer, or are supposed to suffer, in common with all private

schools. Divesting the question, therefore, of all sectarian views, we think their request should have been accorded at once, and that all children attending school, no matter whether public or private, should enjoy the same privilege of free travelling. It is no part of a, Government's or a Provincial Council's duty to make a distinction in that respect between public and pxivate schools, nor to give a premium to children attending the one rather than the other. The reason

why Government schools are instituted is that it has been found necessary to provide means for every child being educated,because the world's experience proves that otherwise a vast majority would gi'ow up ignorant. But that is no reason why the children should not start from a common platform, and enjoy equal locomotive privileges. If ail children are educated the end and intention of the establishment of common schools is gained. If children attending private schools were taught in Government schools they would travel free. What difference can it make to the Government, so far as travelling is concerned, what school they attend? It is said that great abuses of the system have taken place. "We think it very likely. Wherever a few poundß are concerned, and can be gained by a little stretching of conscience, it is* far too often found elastic enough for the occasion. In that respect we do not imagine one religious sect entitled tospecial exemptionfrom condemnation. Thereason why children attendingschool are allowed to travel free is to spread the opportunity of receiving education as widely as possible; and there is economy in the arrangement, for fewer schools are required and better teaching is secured. We would, therefore, do nothing to narrow it. We think very little of the difference between education given in Roman Catholic or Protestant schools, so far as literature and science are concerned. No religious bias can alter them. Let, therefore, free travelling be strictly restricted to going to and from school, and let all children, no matter where educated, be treated alike,

RpatOß is an ugly faot to deal with and politicians know it. When, therefore, they think it desirable to create a cry tor or against a measure or a man, they begin by setting rumor afloat. It is amusing to watch their dealing with rumor as a political weapon. Sometime?, kaowing it to be untrue, they smile and let it slide by uncontradicted; sometimes it suits them to fan the fabrication and to aggravate its mischief. Rumor is just now a very convenient tool for Provincialism, the partisans of which are by no means scrupulous in using it. This pestilent mischi3f-maker Rumor, in their mouths, takes upon itself to assert that men in power do uot mean what they say. For instance, rumor will have it that the Pbbmier's intention, and that of the General Government, is to abolish existing Harbor Boards. Possibly where they are

not popularly constituted the mode of creating membership may be modified; and we think very probably even our Dunedin Harbor Board might be a little improved even if it I reverted to its original constitution instead of being made up of nominees of the Superintendent. Butrumor saysnothingabout improving or modifying them. It will have it, as set afloat in Otago, that Harbor Boards are to be abolished and the management taken over by the General Government, and the originators of the rumor base it upon wilful perversion of the Premie*.'.* speeches and letters. They do not think so elsewhere than in Dunedin, and we have the best possible authority for saying to those who think so here, that no such policy is even contemplated—there is not a shadow of truth in the rumor. Actions speak louder than words, and since referring to the plain speeches and letters of Sir Julius Vogel is not sufficient to convince that what he says ho means, perhaps the fact of his recommending Wellington and Wanganui to place the management of their harbors under Boards may lead to the conclusion that he kuows his own mind, says what he thinks, and acts accordingly. We do not suppose the spreading of this rumor will be regarded as anything more

criminal than a "political dodge"—a very light matter in the minds of partisans, but a very serious affair if it leads to Cliquism or Centralism, or if it tends to shake confidence in the integrity of public men. We clip from a Northern paper the following paragraph, showing the faith that is in the .North, and Sir Julius Vcoel cannot app!y different advocacy to the South Island : It appears to us that until a Wanganni Harbor Board has been formed and a definite scheme of river improvements determined upon, it would be wrong for the General Government to'allow this money to pass from under its control. The latest phase of the business is, that a resolution is to be proposed at the next meeting of the Council to the effect "that Mr J. Brice and Sir Julius Vogel be requested to draft a Harbor Board Bill for Wanganui, this Council undertaking to give them the fullest information regarding their position as holders of the bridge, wharves, foreshore, and hospital, so as to enable them to frame a BUI to meet the approval of this Council and suitable to the requirements of the district at large." As a sort of rider to this another resolution will be brought forward, proposing "that the Mayor should call a public meeting of. the ratepayers of the district at large, to decide upon the point as to the desira* bility of the Council forming itself into a Harbor Board, or whether it shall be a separate body outside the Council."